3 Caloocan traffic enforcers dismissed for extortion

Three members of the Caloocan City Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management (DPSTM) were ordered sacked from the DPSTM after they were allegedly caught mulcting in police entrapment operations.

"We cannot afford to maintain bad eggs in our ranks and let the good ones be affected," Augusto de Belen, DPSTM chief, said. According to De Belen, he had ordered the termination of DPSTM traffic enforcers Ernesto Bunales and Virgilio Dungca, both job order workers, and Ignacio Garcia, a regular employee.

Charges of robbery and extortion were filed against the terminated employees after they were reportedly caught while mulcting in separate entrapment operations conducted by the police, De Belen said.

Garcia, he said was also charged administratively being a regular employee.

De Belen said the suspects’ case was even bolstered when it was learned that the day they were entrapped by the police the suspects failed to log for their daily attendance.

De Belen appealed to the public, especially to the drivers who fall victims to some unscrupulous traffic enforcers to report directly to his office for immediate action.

"We cannot risk the department as a whole for the vested interest of a few," he said.

De Belen admitted that the series of published reports attacking the DPSTM for the illegal activities committed by some of its members, caused demoralization within his department. – Pete Laude